Contact printing machine



Dec. 26, 1950 s. w. LANGDON CONTACT PRINTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 29, 1948 1N1 'ENTOR. v SWZWQW/Z BY W Dec. 26, 1950 w, LANGDQN 2,535,145

CONTACT PRINTING MACHINE Filed April 29, 1948 r 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR; 1

Patented Dec. 26, 1950 GQN A I' S GLMAQHINE.

Samuel Langdom-Rochester;NiYsgassiggnor to Marksiiiz Fuilerglnct, Rochester, N., aaccorpoi-s rationmfiNew .Yiork-i ethic-tsunami: 29, 1'94s,,.;sena1; No. 123x322.

(Cl.::95'-.-x73) 3 Claimst My invention"relates-to 'machines' for (making in-the original or sensitized sheet-are smoothed v out and a; more; perfect-copy obtained.

*My; invention further con-templateaa photocopying-machine inwhich the original and the sensitized material are placed adjacent the I work surfaceand then fed into the machine by means i-twhich exert a continuous wedge like ironing action on the two sheets of material'- whereby to--secure perfecbcoritact throughout the area of the sensitized material with-the work surface to' the --end='that wrinkles er -creases either in the originalor in the sensitized material are ironed and'smoothed-out.

Other objects and ==advan tages of '=my =invention will be set forth in-theflclaimsand will be apparent from the following description; when taken in connection "with the-accompanying drawings; imw'hih:

Fig; Tie-a top plan wiew of' 'th'e photocopying machine .o'f-"my inventionwith the cover aopen;

Fig.--2 issa vertical sectional view-for the photo copying machine' of 'my inventi'omwith-' the cover closed:-

l -ig; 3 is-a vertical 'sectional view of the photocopying: machine or my invention showing the manner in which the original or :subjectis fed; togetherwith :the sensitized :material; "into the machine;

Eig; 4 is'a wiewshowing the subject onoriginal, together with the sensitized material, in positioniwith'the coverciosed'for making a print;

1 and Fig. 5 is a view showing ale-suitable circuit for the Printingli ht source,

Referring more particularly to. the drawings, the photocopying machine of my invention comprises a box" -;or. .iframe-wgenerallyz indicated by the numeral II, which include;a bottom wall J2, a-irearawallit a front wall side walls l5,;and atop wallsor cover l6.

As shown; most clearly in;.Fig s.,11-and 4, the top wall I; forms a complete enclqsi re sothat the box;qorpri iting compartment is li ght tight when the cover I6 is closed The,,cover, however, is pivoted at H -'(-Fi-gs-. 1" and 3') to the side walls Offlthg light tight boxsoithat the cover may 19: humor. 10m. he fnQSitiOn'sShQWn inel'l es, 1 and 3 to the position shown in Fig. 4.

V fMounted on the "cover-is a *fi ng er'controlled spring actuated latch, generally indicated by the numeral j -l 8; which when the 4 cover is in a closed position; latches wan keeper; I9 mounted on the box;- proper; barrie'd by the-cover through suitable screws eatencling intofblocks 2|; isasemi-cylindrical work'receiving member 2 2; w0r-k receivingmember 2 2 ispreferably formed of a relatively rigidsheet of transparent plasticmateriaL; although if -desired-, it may fbeimade (if-glass.

Mountedw ithin thef-transparentwork receiveris-alightsouree '23 which may it be J of elongated tubular form, as-"s'hown' in- Fig; 5; and which is preferably mounted concentric with the axis of the work "receiving-member '22 and concentric with the pivots 11 upon which the cover 1 6 swings. With the light-sourcelocated at the axis of curvature of -the transparent-workweceiving member- 2 2, the light? is distributed even- 1y over the work receivingesuriace so as to-:produos-prints equally exposed in v all-areas thereof. Prefera-bly theli'ght source i'fi Sis-arrangecbwith a switch 24, as sh'ownamost clearly in Eig. 5; and a. resistance .2 6: whereby.- the intensity of light may be controlled to provide prints oftheid'esired exposure and: quality. Theiswitchtzi may be conveniently mounted on thefront ofwthe light ti'ght box. and the resistance 26: may: be varied byeafingencontrolled knob; 25; also-located on theiront ofrthebox.

Rotatably .carried by; the :side walls: of :thesboxv isiahcyli'ndrical member 28 which' may be rotated under the restraintsof asispring 29'; tha'ois, the spring tends to WLindgaa preferablyfelt ortcanm.

vas sheet 3| thereon, as illustrated. in Fig. 35;

Thegspring'notaonly serves thespurpose of-=winding the felt or canvas sheet' on to the.rol1:.-28;: when. the "cover it :istjsh-ifted from theposition: shown *inz'Fig; 4:1;0 thatwshownin Rig. Bi'but also serves to maintain th'e sheet 40f smaterial' tautand smoothiy.-.against. thestransparent work surface.- 22. The sheet of felt canvas or other material Si is carried upward over a roller 32 an'd theL-end thereof-ismonfinedebetweengtheblock 2A; and the edge. of; the transparent member; as, indicated at 33;,

e: rollerslikhas extended :en s fit-which a e nref rablwof.m tal hezroller'wpreferably- 0mprisms; -m t'a1; od; ore with he roll properrei rablyeheinermade of wood; Theextendedmetal semis: :36=,;:are; free-1 to ride oni brackets:- 33:

which are carr ed byathe sidewalls-i5; as indi-.

canted; at;- 3;8-; The br ckets 3-]; are placed at an angle of=any desiredvanmuni but preferably, about 4 .1- :towtherhorizontal soithat; there is'i'a tendency;

ward; fromzanlsupp rrposition with r sp c toveiz teeket; 91a lowerposition, It, will: e Pit. t .rlfilrlyr n ted; h hgthe bracketseare located so as to maintain the upper surface of the roller 3 32 above the lower edge of the work receiving surface 22, when the cover is open, to provide a transversely extending crevice 43.

To feed the material into the machine for the purpose of making a print, the subject 40 and the sensitized material 4| are placed in overlying relation, as shown in Fig. 3. With the cover in the open position, as shown in Fig. 3, the forward edges of the subject and the sensitized material are inserted in the transversely extending crevice 43 existing between the roller 32 and the transparent work receiving surface 22. While manually feeding the material inward, the cover I6 is then shifted from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4. During the initial portion of the movement of the cover the crevice or gap 43 is closed so as to pinch the edges of the subject and the sensitized material between the roll and the adjacent part of the work receiver 22. This pinching action resists any tendency for the subject and the sensitized material to shift with respect to the work receiving surface. The original drawing or manuscript to be copied, when the cover is closed, lies against the transparent Work receiving surface with the felt or canvas 3| holding the sensitized material 4| against the work.

It will be appreciated that the roller 32, be-

cause of its mounting on the inclined brackets 31, and. the action of the spring 29, tends continuously to wedge itself against the transparent work receiving surface during movement of the cover. This wedging action continuously wedges the subject or drawing 40 against the work receiving surface 22 and the sensitized material against the subject. The result is to iron or smooth out any wrinkles or creases which may exist either in the subject 40 or the sensitized material 4|.

Thus, as the cover is moved from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4, the work or drawing to be copied and the sensitized material are smoothly applied to the work receiving surface 22 with the work in intimate contact therewith, after which the light source may be lighted by the switch 24 to produce the desired exposure. Upon opening the cover It the work and the finished print may be removed from the machine.

- While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, it will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may be made, particularly in the form and relation of parts, without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1 A photographic printer comprising, in combination, a supporting structure forming a substantially complete enclosure, a cover pivoted to the supporting structureand forming with the supporting structure a light tight enclosure when the cover is closed, a curved light transmitting work receiver secured to said member approximately concentric with said pivots and forming with the cover a movable assembly, a light source within the work receiver, a flexible sheet of material having one end attached to the movable assembly, a roll having spring winding means normally retaining said flexible material wound thereon when the cover is open, and means exerting a wedging action when the cover is shifted to a closed position and the subject and the sensitized material are applied to said work receiver,

said wedge action being applied to saidflexible material so as to smooth out the subject and the sensitized material and apply them in intimate relation with each other and the work receiver.

2. A photographic printer comprising, in combination, a supporting structure forming a substantially complete enclosure, a cover pivoted to the supporting structure and forming with the supporting structure a light tight enclosure when the cover is closed, a curved light transmitting work receiver secured to said member approximately concentric with said pivots and forming with the cover a movable assembly, a light source within the work receiver, a flexible sheet of material having one end attached. to the movable asvi sembly, a roll having spring winding means normally retaining said flexible material wound thereon when the cover "is open, a roller over which the flexible material passes to its point of attachment to the movable assembly, the upper surface of said roller being above the line of attachment of said sheet material to the movable assembly to form an elongated crevice between the work receiver and said sheeet material for the reception of the subject and the sensitized material, means for mounting said roll so that it is constantly urged toward engagement with the work receiver by the tension on the flexible material, said roller constantly applying pressure on the subject and the sensitized material to smooth them out in overlying relation with the work receiver when the cover is moved to a closed position. v a

3. A photographic printer comprising, in cornbination, a curved light transmitting member having a light source therein, a flexible work holder between which and the light transmitting member the work and sensitized material are fed, a roller arranged with respect to the work holder and said light transmitting member so that the work holder passes part way around the roller and forms an elongated crevice between the work holder and thelight transmitting member for the reception of the work-and the sensitized material, means for moving the work holder and the light transmitting member.

relative to each;0ther to wrap the work, holder together with the work and the sensitized material around the light transmitting member, a pair of stationary members inclined toward said light transmitting member upon which said roller 2 may ride in a direction such that the roller presses with a wedging action on the work holder during the movement of the work holder and the light transmitting member relative to each other.

SAMUEL W. LANGDONQ 1- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of'this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

